


Nationals

by Tyger



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: AU, AU (complete), Community: au_bingo, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-20
Updated: 2011-01-20
Packaged: 2017-10-19 21:33:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/205442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyger/pseuds/Tyger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But Roxas has never been the sort of guy that says no to his impulses, so when they're thirteen, and standing around during the awards ceremony, he kisses Ven.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nationals

**Author's Note:**

> Posted for my [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/au_bingo/profile)[**au_bingo**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/au_bingo/) FREE square.

        The first time Roxas kisses Ven is when they're thirteen. At the Nationals; they've both been going to the Nationals every year for as long as they've been old enough to qualify, and they're the same age, so of course they know each other. It's not like they could miss one another, not with everyone asking if they're related or not.

        They're not. Ven's an orphan, at least as far as he knows. Doesn't know if he even has any family at _all_ , that's related to him by blood. But Roxas knows all of his family - every single last person, his mother is _obsessed_ with genealogy - and he knows he's not related to Ven even a little. He doesn't know if that makes Ven happy or sad - if you don't have any blood relatives maybe you'd want some, right? - but it is what it is. And even though they're not related by blood Ven has family, anyway. Roxas kind of envies him for that; that's the kind of family you can only have if everyone really _cares_ about each other. You don't have to get that, with blood. It's just blood.

        But anyway, they've known each other for years - kind of, sort of, the Nationals are the only time they see each other, and that's only once a year. Still, even if they're not quite friends, Roxas likes Ven. And he's pretty sure Ven likes him too, even if it's maybe not how Roxas likes him.

        But Roxas has never been the sort of guy that says no to his impulses, so when they're thirteen, and standing around during the awards ceremony, he kisses Ven. No one's looking at them, too busy looking at the stage, so it's the perfect time, right? Right.

        Ven stares at him, when he pulls back, and blushes.

        They don't talk about it, before they go home, and it doesn't happen again, but Roxas thinks it was a pretty awesome kiss, anyway.

.

        He doesn't go to the Nationals, next year. It's not that he doesn't qualify - of course he qualifies! There's no way he'd let his skills slip enough to not! He's _improving_ , not going backwards - but his family is kind of imploding, and so he can't get there. None of them can get there, not him or Xion or Sora. No matter that they all won their devisions in the regionals - not just won but _devastated_ , really, the local competition isn't... really all that good.

        So Roxas is pissed, that they can't go, and he knows Xion's sad, too. They're not like Sora, though. Sora is just. Well. Sora's the kind of guy that always smiles, you know? He's always happy. But when they find out they can't go he locks himself in his room and won't come out for three days. Only comes out 'cause he runs out of food. He's _miserable_ , and it hurts Roxas and Xion to see it, though they don't think their parents even notice. They pool their money together, to see if they can maybe send Sora, at least - they don't have friends there like Sora has Riku and Kairi. They have people they like seeing, but they don't have anyone like that. But even then it's not enough, not even just for Sora.

        It's that, more than anything else, that makes Roxas realise that he hates their parents. That he'll never, ever forgive them..

.

        Fifteen, and their family has stabilised enough that they can go again. Stable, but a broken stable, and Roxas and Xion help Sora take all the stuff he _really_ wants to keep with them. He's been writing to Riku and Kairi for years, so of course they know what happened. And Riku said his family said Sora could come stay with them, if he wants. Now that Sora's old enough to make his own choices.

        They don't know if he's just saying that, but Sora's happier than he's been for ages, when that letter comes, so Roxas and Xion help out as much as they can. It's good, that Sora seems happy, and if it turns out he was only kidding they know they're good enough to hurt Riku a _lot_ , especially if they fight together.

        They've learnt a lot of stuff about fighting, the past two years, and not much about it has to do with kendo.

        But it turns out that dreams do come true, and Riku's family seem really actually pleased, that Sora's going to come live with them. They don't announce it, or anything, not until it's time to go home, because they're not stupid, but Roxas and Xion are paying attention, now, and they can tell.

        And it's great, to see everyone again. Particularly Ven. He's kind of paler than he usually is, and he actually loses to Roxas in the final - first time ever! - but he seems happy. Roxas likes it when Ven's happy.

        They're standing next to each other again, during the awards ceremony. Roxas is clutching his very first first-place. It's really kind of amazing. And then Ven looks at him, face kind of red. And kisses him.

        That's. That's even more amazing.

.

        When they're sixteen they blow off the awards ceremony altogether. Ven had won their division, with Roxas a close second, and their match wasn't the last of the day, but it was close to it. So once they get changed and cleaned up they go outside for some fresh air, walk around the corner of the building, away from the doorway, and then suddenly they're kissing. Roxas doesn't know who started it, but he doesn't care, either. Ven is hot under his hands, pulling him closer and Roxas is still riding the high he always gets from fighting, and he bets Ven is the same, and it's good, so fucking good. Then Ven's mouth drops open and Roxas sends his tongue out to _taste_. Ven moans, at that, chest vibrating under Roxas' palms, and he shoves him against the wall, presses against him, tries to get _closer_. And Ven's clutching at his back, trying to pull him there, and fuck, Roxas isn't going to last long, not if it's like this.

        "Ven!" The voice is deep and kind of scandalised, and it utterly breaks the moment. They freeze, then Roxas pulls back enough that he can look over his shoulder, and. Fuck.

        "Um," says Ven, going redder than Roxas would have thought possible. Roxas kisses his neck, just because he can, and Ven shivers.

        "Terra," comes another voice, from around the corner. Shit. "Did you find them - oh." And Aqua's not pleased with them either, but she's a lot less embarrassed than Terra is, too. She breaks them up and all but frog-marches them back inside, so they can collect their awards.

.

        They're chaperoned the _entire time_ they're there, the next year. Or more to the point Ven is; he can't even so much as take a piss without Terra or Aqua following him.

        Which is really fucking frustrating. Sure, he hadn't _assumed_ anything, that he'd even be able to kiss Ven again, but he wants to. He wants to so bad. Kissing Ven is better than kissing anyone. Hell, that first kiss, the one they'd had when they were thirteen, that by itself was better than any of the sex Roxas has had with other people, during the rest of the year. Sure, he didn't get off on it, but it was. Well, the sex is just sex. It doesn't mean much, other than getting off.

        Whatever he has with Ven, though... whatever it is, that's real. That _means_ something. Roxas doesn't pretend to get it, but he likes it. He wants it. He doesn't know if Ven wants it too, but it's not like they can find out like this.

        It pisses him off.

.

        The next time he sees Ven, though, it's not at the Nationals. It's way sooner than that, only a couple of months after the last time.

        Their school is taking a trip, to see the universities in Radiant Garden. It's the closest city to Twilight Town, and it has a few good ones. They're not the only school doing tours, though, and when they get to the first one they find out that since their group is so small - there's only fifteen of them, that've made it all the way to year 12 - they're going to be combined with another, equally small group that's come for a tour. Kids from a city called Departure, which Roxas thinks is the stupidest city name he's ever heard, but it also sounds familiar.

        It's not hard to figure out why, when the other group gets there.

        "Ven!" he calls, waving, and he can't stop himself grinning, either, even though he knows everyone'll stare at him. Except Xion, of course, she's too busying grinning and waving too. Xion doesn't like Ven like Roxas likes Ven - which is good - but she still likes Ven as a friend. And Roxas is pretty sure Ven likes her like that back, too, which is good, 'cause Xion's even worse than Roxas is, at making friends.

        "Roxas!" says Ven, lighting up like it's Christmas. "Xion!" He runs over to them, leaving the rest of his group behind in his dust. Ven always runs fast. "Hi! How've you been?"

        They have to tell people they're not related a lot, but that's kind of normal, for them. And. Ven's here.

        Roxas doesn't end up remembering anything, about the tour. They don't get any opportunity for alone-time, which makes sense, but right when they're about to get back on to their busses - and they've checked already, they're doing the unis in a different order so they probably won't be meeting up again - Ven leans in. Close enough that Roxas knows it's okay to lean in too. To lean in and kiss him, right in front of everyone from his school and everyone from Ven's school and teachers and Xion and _everything_. It's the best kiss _ever_ , even if it doesn't last long.

        Ven's bright red, when he pulls away again, but he's smiling, too. Roxas feels a burst of something, in his heart. Something that isn't lust, Roxas knows lust. Whatever this is, it's better than lust. He grins back, can't stop, even when they have to leave, and he doesn't know when he'll see Ven again.

        He doesn't remember much of the rest of the day, either.

.

        Xion is _smart_ , and she managed to remember to get Ven's address, during the tour. So, they write to him. And Ven writes back. Roxas isn't sure he likes it, the tantalising pieces of not-quite-Ven, that come at such random intervals he's constantly anticipating them, always a little on edge. In some ways it was easier when he knew for sure he wouldn't see Ven until the next Nationals.

        On the other hand, when a letter does come it's really fucking awesome. Roxas is in a good mood for _days_ afterwards. It's stupid, that pieces of paper can affect him so much, but they do.

        They're useful, too; Roxas finds out that Ven's planning to attend the same uni as Terra and Aqua, the University of the Soaring Plains, which isn't one of the ones they saw on their tours, but according to Ven it's both small and gives scholarships to accomplished martial artists, as long as they're willing to fight on the school team.

        Roxas and Xion reckon they could probably handle that, if that's really true, so they go and see the careers guy at school, who confirms the info - which, yes, is true, and they'll also probably be eligible for a country student's allowance from the government, since they'll have to move and pay rent and stuff - and helps them figure out how to fill in all the forms and everything.

        And that's how, six months later, Roxas and Xion find themselves going to uni, which they'd never expected they'd actually be able to afford to do.

.

        They move into the dorms, of course. When you're moving to a completely different city it's just kind of... easy. It's not as bad as they thought it'd be, either. You always hear horror stories about dorms; awful roommates and crap facilities, but their uni only has single room dorms. The kitchen and bathroom are tiny and cramped, but they're more or less clean. And they manage to wrangle getting rooms next to each other. Roxas figures it's pretty much as good as dorm life can get, assuming all their floor-mates don't turn out to be total assholes. Given that that's about twenty people Roxas figures they probably won't _all_ be.

        Ven doesn't live in the dorms, though, despite also coming from a tiny country town. He lives with Terra and Aqua - they're renting a house just off campus, and it has space for him. (Of course. There's no way they wouldn't make sure there'd be room for him too, even Roxas knows that.) He comes and helps Roxas and Xion unpack, though. Not that they have much _to_ unpack; they'd taken the bus down so all they have is a duffel and a backpack each. Mostly clothes, aside from their kendo equipment, and what few bits of random stuff they couldn't bear to be without. Books, comics, photos, that kind of thing. They might go back to get the rest, someday, but... Roxas doesn't feel all that worried about it. It's just stuff. He's got everything that's irreplaceable; he can buy anything else he needs, if he finds he actually needs it. He'll be just as happy, if he never has to go back again.

        Anyway, it means it doesn't take them very long at all, to unpack. Particularly with Ven helping Roxas. When they're done, Roxas just stares at Ven a bit. He's still gorgeous - Roxas has always found Ven nice to look at, even though it's kind of a bit weird - and they're in Roxas' room. It has a bed. There are so many things you can do, in a room with a bed.

        Ven notices him staring, and turns pink. Looks away like he's shy, but then he steps forward, close. Roxas wraps his arms around him, because he's _here_ and he _can_ , and Ven hugs him back. And then they're so close it just feels natural, to start kissing. When he's not actually kissing Ven, Roxas always thinks his memory's wrong, like he's making it better than it really was - but that's not true. Kissing Ven really _is_ better than kissing anyone else, and now they're living in the same city. He can see Ven _all the time_. Roxas feels that emotion again, the one that isn't lust. It presses at his chest, like it's trying to get out, so Roxas lets it out through his kiss, and Ven makes a soft noise, clutches him tighter, like he can tell.

        When they pull back after while Ven grins at him, cheeks flushed, eyes bright, breathing a little too fast. It takes all of Roxas' self control not to just _jump_ him.

        "Do you," says Ven. Pauses to gulp in a breath. "Do you want to go out, sometime?"

        It's a really stupid question - what kind of answer does Ven _think_ he's gonna give? - but Roxas finds himself grinning all the same. "Yeah," he says, and kisses Ven again. Stupid question. Of _course_.

.

        The first time they have sex is kind of pathetic, really. It's just. Ven's been teasing him _all day_ \- light touches, soft kisses, all in public where there's no way Roxas can even try to return them properly. It's on purpose, he _knows_ it's on purpose, because for some reason Ven thinks watching his frustration is kind of _funny_. Like he doesn't even _know_ what he's doing to him, just that it makes him twitch.

        So it's not really a surprise, that Roxas' control snaps, as soon as they get back to dorm. At least not to Roxas; Ven seems kind of surprised, as Roxas turns, pins him against the door, mouths at his neck and grinds against his hip - he is so _fucking_ hard, Roxas didn't know you could be that hard and not _die_ or something.

        "Oh," says Ven, voice surprised but kind of breathy, and that goes straight to Roxas' cock too, _fuck_. "Roxas." He pulls him closer, not away, pulls his head up with the other so he can kiss him, hot and heavy like it hasn't been since that one time when they were sixteen, and Roxas comes, drawn out and shuddering, just from that. Just that easily. Pathetic. And yet it's still the best orgasm of Roxas' _life_.

        He clings to Ven, afterwards, so he doesn't fall down. Breathes into his neck, as he tries to pull himself back together. Ven's clutching at his back, too, shivers and holds tighter when Roxas kisses his neck again, experimentally. And. Roxas grinds his thigh against Ven, just for a second, and Ven's hips buck up, and he makes a little noise, wanting but kind of confused as well. Roxas shudders, and it's soon, way too soon, he barely just came, but he's starting to get turned on again already. Ven is _hard_ , just for him, and that _noise_ -

        Roxas pulls back, so he can see him properly. Ven's face is red, and his eyes are scrunched closed, mouth wide open so he can take giant, gasping breaths, and it's. It's. _Fuck_.

        "What do you want?" he asks, his voice low and kind of scratchy, but whatever. Ven shudders, under him, nails digging into Roxas' back through his shirt, and he thrusts up against Roxas' thigh on his own this time, fast, hard, desperate. Fuck. It's not his favourite thing to do by a long shot, but Roxas wants to go down on his knees and suck him, make him lose it completely, because _getting_ blown is the best thing ever, and Ven... Ven deserves the best thing ever.

        "Roxas," says Ven, in between gasps, "I." Moans, at Roxas pressing back against his thrusts. "I feel, I."

        "Can I touch you?" Roxas asks in his ear. Ven shudders, moans again, grinds up against Roxas' thigh 'cause they're too close for thrusting, now.

        Roxas pulls his thigh away, and Ven _whines_ , but it doesn't last long, because Roxas is pretty fucking good at getting other people's pants open, even if he does say so himself, and then it's easy, to reach in an pull Ven's cock out.

        " _Oh_ ," says Ven, when he starts stroking, in a small voice. Like that's all he's able to manage, because his breath's gone away. "Roxas, I-" And then he comes, right there.

        Which is still really fast, but not quite as pathetic as Roxas. Particularly as Roxas is pretty sure by this point it's Ven's first time. (Which is really kind of hot, if he thinks about it. He's pretty sure he's going to be thinking about it a _lot_ , in the future.)

        Ven starts to slump to the ground, and Roxas doesn't stop him, just makes sure he doesn't hit his head on anything. He's not just resting, though, after a couple of minutes he's actually fucking _asleep_ , which is. Just.

        Roxas grumbles a bit to himself, but picks him up and puts him in his bed. He looks... really fucking good there, and it makes the emotion press against Roxas chest again. He lets himself feel it, indulge in it, as he hits down in his chair, and pulls his own pants down. He's hard again, but who the fuck knows how long Ven will sleep. And sure, he could ignore it, but he doesn't want to. It feels good, to touch himself, similar but entirely different, from the way he touched Ven. He knows exactly the way he likes it - of course - and even if it doesn't have the same thrill, of being touched by another person, it's still good. And Ven's in his bed, right there, so he doesn't even have to try and think of anything, as he strokes himself, hard and fast because damn it, Roxas has been teased _enough_ for one day. And Ven's right there, and fuck Roxas wants him.

        It doesn't take him very long to come this time, either, but Roxas doesn't give a shit. Just wipes his hand off on his pants, then crawls into bed with Ven. There's hardly any room at all, but Roxas doesn't care, he'd be pressing up against Ven like this no matter what.

        It's probably the best way he's ever fallen asleep in his life.

.

        Now that they're both 18, they take part in the open division, of the Nationals. They don't place, but they do pretty well, particularly, everyone says, for their first year. Xion comes second, in the girls division, after Kairi, but the girls is famously kind of crap. Roxas had fought, and lost, against Aqua, in his final bout. She's so strong no one can really claim she can't fight against men, and she'd single-handedly dominated the girls division every year she's taken part, until at last Master Eraqus, her teacher, had insisted she be allowed to fight alongside the men. ( _She is a successor to my style,_ he had said, _and a Master in her own right. I have never expected anything less of her than I have of my male pupils, and neither should you._ ) He's pretty sure that the same sort of thing will happen with Kairi and Xion, too, before long. Definitely with Xion, at least. There's no real difference between her and Roxas, apart from the ones in people's heads.

        Roxas slings an arm around Ven's waist, during the awards ceremony, and kisses him when people are distracted. It's almost like a tradition, at this point.

.

        "I love you," says Ven, one afternoon. They're lying on the grass in his backyard, breathing hard from a long training session.

        That emotion in Roxas' heart swells, fierce and strong, and he thinks he knows what it is, now. "Yeah," he says, leaning over to kiss Ven. "Yeah, you too."


End file.
